Pumpkin Carving Tips for This Halloween

Well, it's Halloween again and that can mean only three things: candy, costumes, and carving pumpkins! Pumpkin carving is great fun and a creative pastime. Kids love it, and its' something adults can enjoy along with them just as much, if not more. Just remember to keep safety first!

As for where to buy your pumpkins, of course you can always get them in your local supermarket, but the best option as far as size and price is usually found at a farmers market. Depending on where you live these will be quite easy to find this time of year; just check your local newspaper. When selecting a pumpkin, try to choose one that's not quite ripe so it doesn't start to decay before Halloween has already come. You don't want to be scaring trick-or-treaters with pumpkins that are half eaten by bugs and animals!

Before actually molding the pumpkin into your shape, be sure to remove all the seeds from the inside. Scrape any excess pulp from the shell of the pumpkin and dispose of that first, because this could actually catch on fire if you place a candle inside to light it. Keeping the inside of the pumpkin dry will not only reduce the risk of a fire hazard but also delay the rotting of the pumpkin.

Placing lights inside the pumpkins, once they've already been carved, is pretty much essential to that spooky atmosphere so fitting for Halloween. But do you know that there are alternatives to candles? That's right: you can look use battery-powered lights, which you can find available at any major retail store. And another popular option for lighting pumpkins is to just cleverly carve an exit hole in the back or in the bottom end to run a light to an electrical socket. You won't have to worry about accidental fire hazards... or cooked pumpkins!

It's usually best to use tools made specifically for carving pumpkins if you're serious about doing cool designs. These are pretty cheap and can be bought at a local pharmacy or any supermarket and of course Halloween stores everywhere. The variety in these tools allows you to do anything your imagination can come up with. Also make sure to always supervise any children using sharp tools to carve the pumpkins. Even the most careful child can be a little bit clumsy especially when struggling to cut shapes into a tough pumpkin. Older children should always demonstrate for the younger ones first. If you don't feel comfortable with them around sharp knives, don't even take the chance! Work on one together instead. Safety can never be stressed enough; don't let a unique holiday be ruined by an easily preventable accident.